New Haven, Conn. — A tragic shooting near James Hillhouse High School resulted in the death of a 16-year-old boy, shaking the local community. The incident occurred around the afternoon of November 22 when New Haven police were alerted by a gunshot detection system to the violence at the intersection of Goffe and Hudson Streets.
Upon arrival, law enforcement found the teenager in critical condition lying on the street. He was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after. The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, was confirmed to be a student of New Haven Public Schools.
During a press conference, New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson indicated that the attack seemed to be targeted. This assessment was supported by video footage police reviewed, which showed that eight to ten rounds were fired during the incident. A concerning element in this case was the use of a ghost gun, an unregistered firearm that complicates tracking efforts.
In a related but fortunate turn of events, a school bus carrying students from Celentano Biotech, Health and Medical Magnet School was caught in the crossfire. Remarkably, no injuries were reported thanks to the swift action of the bus driver who instructed the students to duck and quickly moved the bus to a safer location. The children on board were later transferred to another bus that brought them to Wexler-Grant Community School where they reunited with their families.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker praised the bus driver’s quick thinking which prevented what could have been a disastrous outcome. “The driver’s calm and quick actions under such dire circumstances undoubtedly saved lives,” Elicker said.
In response to the shooting and to enhance safety measures in the area, the One In Five Foundation for Kids, formerly known as the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, announced a reward of $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. This initiative is part of their Crimes Against Students Reward Program which seeks to incentivize the community to participate in crime prevention around schools.
Adding another layer of protection, the foundation is also deploying volunteers from its STOPNOW citizen school patrol teams. These teams, consisting of individuals trained in situational awareness, conflict resolution, and self-defense, will patrol the Hillhouse High School neighborhood and other strategic locations in New Haven. According to a foundation spokesperson, these efforts aim to prevent safety incidents and provide support to students and local communities.
Authorities are continuing their search for the suspected assailant and have taken into custody a 16-year-old who was found with a ghost gun, though he is not believed to be responsible for the fatal shooting. This incident has highlighted ongoing issues with gun violence and its proximity to school zones, stressing the need for more robust security measures.
Local police urge anyone with information about the shooting to come forward and contact the New Haven detectives at 203-946-6304. The community and authorities hope that these combined efforts will not only solve this tragic case but also prevent future incidents.